Hey-o! Happy FALL! Or something like that …
Month Recap: August 2020
The Running
Welp. Things seem to be trucking right on along. I had some moments of pretty low motivation this month, but I think that is actually a fairly normal feeling for me to have in August. It seems that I start to feel run down at the end of the summer every year. For the majority of August it felt like I was either really excited about my workouts or almost dreading them. The feeling wasn’t dependent on what the workout was or whether I thought it was doable, but seemed to be more of an overarching feeling of “why am I doing this.”
I talked to my coach about how I was feeling and after we talked, I started to feel much better. Talking about whatever is on your mind can take the power out of the struggle sometimes. I’m still planning to get some blood work done just to make sure that everything looks good from a general health perspective. John also tries to stay on me to make sure I am eating and drinking enough to fuel my workouts, but I really don’t think that is the problem (always something good to be mindful of though). I ended the month with a really solid week of training!
Workouts:
| 3 mi. WU, 5 X 600 (5:20)/400 (5:05), 3 mi. CD 2 mi. WU, 4 X 2k (5:54), 2 mi. CD 2.5 mi. WU, 16 X 400 (83), 2.5 mi. CD 2 mi. WU, 3 X [4 min (5:58), 3 min (5:44), 2 min (5:19), 1 min (5:08)], 2 mi. CD 2.5 mi. WU, 16 X 45 sec hill repeats (6:56), 2.5 mi. CD 2 mi. WU, 12 X 3 min @ threshold (5:45), 2 mi. CD 2 mi. WU, 6 X 300/200/100, 2 mi. CD 3 mi. WU, 4 miles @ marathon (6:13), 3 mi. CD |
Favorite workout: My favorite workout this month was the 3 X 4, 3, 2, 1 workout and a close second was the 6 X 300/200/100 workout. Apparently I am all about the ladder workouts this month! I enjoyed varying the times, paces and distances throughout both of these workouts.
Races: No races again in August … so sad.
Favorite race: I stand by my answer from last month … any race that I get to run in the future will definitely be my favorite!
Paces: My paces ranged from 5:40 (two of the mile splits in my 4 X 2k workout) to 10:03 (the first mile of an easy run at my in-laws’ house up the “mountain” (it’s a HUGE hill)).
Average Pace: My average pace for the month was 8:29.
Miles: 265 miles this month.
Longest run: My longest run was 12.5 miles. I did 12 miles four times this month, but have zero desire to do more than that. Actually, each 12 mile run that I did was supposed to be 14 or 15 miles according to my training plan. Oh well.
Shortest run: My shortest run was 5 miles.
Climbing: 12,238 feet this month!
Pilates: I went to three Pilates classes this month and did two sessions at home as well.
Planks: I did an hour and twenty minutes of planks in August in the form of 5 minutes here and there. Wowza. I had no idea it would add up to this much!
Drills: I did drills and strides nine times this month. I’m curious how many runners do this? I’m embarrassed to say this is something that I’ve always just kinda disregarded in my training plans. I didn’t think it would really help me nor did I want to take the time to do it. I’m changing my tune on both of those things now.
The Other Stuff
Current activity: Boating! August was a fun-filled month with plenty of quality time on the water.
Current book: Gah. I knew my reading game wasn’t going to stay strong. No books this month.
Current confession: I enjoy wearing a mask in public, not only because it seems to be the responsible thing to do, but also because it significantly decreases the chances of me running into someone that I probably don’t want to talk to anyway. Side note: I like people, really I do. I just don’t like awkward small talk. Introverts unite!
Current drink: One of my favorite drinks currently is sprite with a splash of orange juice. It’s delicious and very refreshing.
Current excitement: Our ducks laid a bunch of eggs and we are going to try to hatch a few of them in the incubator! We left a few on the nest for Mama Duck to hatch as well, but she’s not sitting on the nest much at all. I’m not sure what exactly is going on there, but I’m sure she knows what she’s doing much better than we do.
Current fail: I forgot to wash my hair not once but twice in the last two weeks. I took a shower and got my hair wet and everything like normal and only realized later in the day when my hair looked very greasy that I forgot to use shampoo. What the heck?! I don’t recall every doing this before in my life (unless perhaps I just forgot (ha)).
Current goal: Survive the next tax deadline. This year has been so strange [in so many ways], but for me it’s basically been a never-ending tax season. The March 15th business deadline was business as usual but things went to hell in a hand-basket got weird real quick after that. The April 15th individual deadline was moved to July 15th. We stayed busy during those few months primarily assisting our business customers with PPP loans and dealing with the FFCRA and CARES Act (so many acronyms, so little time!). July got busy right at the deadline, of course, because people procrastinate by nature if given an option. Once we finally got past the July 15th deadline, we were staring in the face of the September 15th business extension deadline. Oy vey.
Current habit: I’ve gotten into a fairly good habit getting planks done every other day. I feel like this is more realistic than every day and so far it’s been very doable. I like that the planks a well-rounded strength building exercise (as opposed to just doing crunches or something like that). My arms usually give out before my core starts to hurt.
Current indulgence: On the weekends, I like to take a really long time getting ready even though I have no where to go. The fact that I have no where to be gives me the luxury of time and I like to take full advantage of that.
Current joke: Why don’t eggs tell jokes? They’d crack each other up.
Current knowledge: This struck me as a timely reminder. Some of the most beautiful chapters in the story of our lives won’t have titles (or make sense) until much later. I love that so much!
Current list: I’m currently keeping a running list of the things that we can purchase at Sam’s for cheaper than anywhere else on the planet. I’m geeking out over the cost per ounce, or per unit or per whatever of most of our staple items and then figuring out if they are cheaper at Sam’s, at Walmart or on Amazon.
Current motto: The only way you see results is if you stay consistent!
Current need: A solution for my electronics charging needs. I feel like I am constantly charging my devices. My phone, my watch, my runangel, my headphones, etc. It feels exhausting to me for some reason.
Current obsession: My Carhart pants. Yes, really. After getting spurred by a rooster on my shin last month, I asked for some “farm pants” for my birthday. I didn’t really have many pants that I could wear outside to get dirty and these are perfect. They are so dang comfortable that I wish I could wear them all the time.
Current procrastination: I’ve got dead batteries in both my car key and my Garmin footpod and for whatever reason I just keep on putting off figuring out a) what sort of battery I need and b) getting it changed. The footpod isn’t as big of a deal. I don’t think it’s worked nor have I really needed it for almost a year. But the car key thing? Super annoying. I can’t lock my car unless I want to set off the alarm when I get in it. I have no clue why I put this off for so long.
Current quote: ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved.” We sang this at church last week and this particular line clicked with me in a way that it never had before. I didn’t realize how much of my life was consumed by fear until those fears were relieved. The process of getting from point A to point B looks like a whole lotta GRACE.
Current rave: I’m a Sarah Marie Design Studio ambassador! You can use this link and the code SAM10 to save 10% off of your SMDS orders. I adore all of her witty designs.
Current song: Forever to Go by Chase Rice.
Current time: It’s 1900 and my tummy is rumbling!
Current uncertainty: Let’s just say that nothing gets written in my planner in ink these days. Only penciled in plans are allowed and even then, there are very few plans.
Current vegetable: Still eating LOTS of cucumbers from our garden and sadly, not too many other vegetables. My diet largely revolves around convenience and seems to be lacking in the fresh fruits and veggies categories.
Current want: I want to run in a real race! I know some of you out there have been able to do this recently and I am super jelly.
Current yearning: To simplify.
Current zone: Quite satisfied!
Thank you so much for reading and following along. Who has raced? Tell me ALL the details!